


Jigsaw

by iarrannme



Series: Planting and other stories [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bisexual Character, Effects of the Snap/Blip, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Family History, Fluff, Gen, Humor, Polyamorous Character, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-19
Updated: 2019-10-19
Packaged: 2020-12-23 20:33:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21087410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iarrannme/pseuds/iarrannme
Summary: Glimpses of some of the puzzle pieces that made MJ who she is, via interactions with her dad.  The last scene ends shortly after Spider-Man’s identity is revealed in the FFH mid-credits scene.  This story provides background for a couple scenes inPlanting, but you can also read it on its own.





	Jigsaw

**Age two:**

“Then the princess said to the prince, ‘I know I just saved you from the dragon, but I don’t feel like kissing you. Let’s play on the swings instead!’ The end! Bedtime!”

“No!”

“Oh, that’s right, you’re not _allowwwwwed_ to go to bed until you learn tonight’s word. Tonight’s word is _feminism_. Can you say that?”

“Femizzz … femmy middum!”

“Mmm … Sorry, sweetheart, I think you have to stay up and practice that a little more.”

“No! I go bed!”

“Well, all _right_, I_ guess _…”

**Age three:**

“Daddy! Be T. Rex!”

“RRRAAWWWWWRRRRRR I got you I got you! Oh no here comes the mommyticklesaurus! Run!!!!”

**Age four:**

“Daddy today Max said Kiriana had mud skin and I said Kiriana’s skin is like my daddy’s and _he’s_ not muddy and then Jocelyn said _my_ skin isn’t dirty so I can still be pretty and then Miss Schmidt said Max had to go in time-out and Jocelyn had to say sorry but Jocelyn said sorry for _what_ and then she cried and Miss Schmidt gave her a hug.”

“Did Miss Schmidt hug Kiriana?”

“No because Kiriana yelled at Max for what he said and Miss Schmidt said Kiriana had to use her inside voice.”

“How did you feel about what Jocelyn said to you?”

“Umm …”

“Was it a nice thing to say?”

“Well … kind of? Because she said I could be pretty?”

“Did it feel nice?”

“… No …”

“How did Kiriana feel when Jocelyn said that to you?”

“She yelled that she was pretty too and then Miss Schmidt put her in time-out so she started crying so I sat with her then Miss Schmidt said I didn’t have to be in time-out and please leave Kiriana alone so I kicked Max so I could stay in time-out and I draweded a picture of Kiriana and gave it to her … Daddy, when my face does that Mommy says I’m having some feelings. Are you having some feelings?”

“Yeah, baby, I am … Thanks for sticking up for Kiriana and me. Let’s get home and we can talk about this more with Mommy.”

“Are you mad, Daddy?”

“Not at you, baby. Not at you.”

**Age five:**

“No, Daddy. _I_ read it to _you_.”

**Age six:**

“Daddy? Why did the policeman make you stop?”

**Age seven:**

“Daddy, how come Princess Leia’s wearing a bikini? She looks mad.”

**Age eight:**

“Daddy, I’m gonna read ALL the books. Books are my FAVORITE thing. Except for you and Mommy.”

**Age nine:**

“Daddy, when I grow up I’m gonna be an astronaut like [Mae Jemison](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mae_Jemison).”

“When I grow up I’m gonna write stories like [N.K. Jemisin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._K._Jemisin)!”

“I’m gonna be a reporter like [Ida B. Wells](https://www.literaryladiesguide.com/trailblazing-journalists/10-pioneering-african-american-women-journalists/)!”

“… a lawyer like [Charlotte Ray](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_E._Ray)!”

“ … a mortician like [Veva Marie Keyes](https://www.thewashingtondailynews.com/2015/02/26/first-black-female-mortician-in-state-recognized/)!”

“… an artist like [Shinique Smith](https://shiniquesmith.com)!”

**Age eleven:**

“Dad, when do people stop being _stupid_?”

He handed over the tissues. “I’ll let you know when I find out.” He put an arm around her and let her lean on his shoulder. “Wanna talk about it?”

**Freshman year:**

“—honey, someday the boys are gonna see how beautiful you –”

“_Stop_ making _assumptions_!”

“I’m not! You know you’re worth a million of ’em whether they think you’re pretty or not –”

Slam.

**Sophomore year:**

“You and Yasmin have fun checking out boys at the park?”

“… Yeah. Sure, Dad.”

It only hits him later what the pause meant, and the sarcastic undertone: Stop. Making. Assumptions.

He tries to do better later that year. “Sorry Yasmin’s going to Homecoming with someone else.”

A pause. A blink. Possibly a slight smile. “It’s ok, Dad, I’m over her.”

After that he’s careful to use neutral pronouns to tease her about cute _people_, and not to tease her at all when he notices that she only smiles during a weekend group study session if Peter’s there.

**Snap.**

.

.

.

.

.

**Blip.**

“Dad? Were you just talking to Mom? You’ve got your feelings face again.”

“I know, hon.”

“Is she coming back?”

“ … We’re figuring that out … She loves us. No doubt. But she’s been with Gina for two years now … ”

“_Gina_.”

“I’m angry too, hon. But I keep telling myself, she _isn’t_ cheating on me. She _didn’t_ leave us. I’m grateful to Gina for loving her after she lost us. That’s … that’s where I’m trying to get, anyway.”

“You and Gina need a shared custody agreement.”

“That’s, uh, something like that has been brought up.”

“Wait, you’re serious?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know. I just know I love her, she loves Gina _and_ me, she loves you, and she doesn’t belong to me. She’s done her best to live a life that’s been really rough on her for five years. I have to – I _want_ to – honor all of that.”

“They could at least move closer.”

“They’ve built a life there. And Gina’s wife – first wife – also blipped, so … it’s complicated.” At least Peter blipped too. Small favors.

* * *

_Disruption and Resilience in Romantic, Sexual and Familial Networks: Post-Snap and Post-Blip._

_Resilient and Non-Resilient Coping Strategies Post-Blip: Rise in Polyamory and Family Structure Variation vs. Rise in Murder-Suicide Rate._

_Demand for Remote Work as an Adaptation to Shifting Family Structures: Pre-Snap and Post-Blip Trends._

He stares at the titles of his current projects. MJ’s finally home from Europe. With each successive emergency notification from Midtown during the trip, Elaine had gotten tenser and quieter, her grip on his arm tighter, her face more blank. He’d asked Gina to drive down to be with her too. They’re chatting quietly in the kitchen now, waiting for MJ to get back from her date with Peter (ha, finally!) before leaving; Elaine has surgical patients in the morning.

This is his first chance in a week to focus on writing, but all he can think of is how to translate _no more genocidal aliens, no more dimension-hopping monsters, can we just please have a $^@$# break_ into academese because what wouldn’t he give for a grant to work on THAT one.

He’s three paragraphs and ten revisions into a review of the resilience literature when his phone buzzes.

“Hello?”

“Dr. Jones? This is Happy Hogan, director of security for Stark Industries –”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and constructive criticism always welcome!


End file.
